Fujilm
Choosing a lens and why Facebook can’t help !
Where do I start !
I used to own a Motorcycle Business in Kent and I lost count of the stupid questions I got as a retailer every day.
I used to tell my staff every day, today will be a good day but within a short period of time that was all over.
Stupid questions ! all day long…
Customer : Can I have a bulb for my bike ? Sales Assistant : What bike is it ? C: A red one
Customer: I need a spark plug for my Bike. SA: what bike is it C: Honda SA: What model C: I don’t know !!! SA: is it here ? C: Yes SA: goes outside and looks at the Suzuki and sigh’s !
This was so common it was painful. But now social media gives more room for Stupid Questions but not just stupid questions but a million unqualified stupid answers.
I used to teach my staff TMA To Much Information, facebook comes unfiltered and is just a joke. Now we all ask stupid questions sometimes and there should be no such thing as a stupid question, but there is ! This is made worse by a 10000 stupid answers !
A lot of the time it’s about education and the person wanting a bulb for his bike should have said ” Hi can I have an indicator bulb for a Honda CBR400R on a H Reg please” but he did not know there are probably 1000bulbs to choose from. I won’t go in to how complicated it is to find a Spark Plug for a bike when someone doesn’t even know what make it is.
These days people ask such random questions like “what is the Fujifilm 80mm lens like ?”
Sounds like a simple question and does not even sound stupid !
But what we need to know is more information Like….
What camera is it going on ?
How many times a year are you going to shoot Macro ?
What’s your budget ?
The list is endless….
This sounds like I am just being a knob but look at is this way.
If I was to ask on Facebook what is the best toaster for me I would get about 500 replies but they don’t know what the application is do they ?
Am I single and just need a 2 slice ? Am I single and a greedy git and need a 4 slice ? Have I got a family of 6 and need an 8 Slice or do I want it for my B&B and need an industrial Toaster if I don’t give the right information in the question I will get 500 wrong answers.
I know asking what is the Fujifilm 80mm Lens like looks specific but its not, the guy who asked the Question owns a Fujifilm X Pro1. Nothing wrong with that it’s a great camera and if he was going to use the 80mm on Manual then he would get some great if he likes a great big heavy lens that costs over a grand. He will also have to shoot on Manual because the focus system on the camera is not up the XT3s standard so spending that a amount of money on a lens would be pointless. He would be better of with a set of Extension tubes or reversing rings and so many other options.
You see a better question would have been ” what are the best Macro Options for my XPro1 ? This in the right group on facebook would have been more helpful.
I really do think Facebook However is not the place to ask or answer to these questions, I really do think advice in the right Bricks and Mortar shop is far better. Facebook and Twitter etc are no place for Expert advice they are just quick and easy but they just make the water twice and muddy ! When I say the right shop, I mean shops with Photographers in, not just shops with Sales people in, as they will look at you like you have two heads if they can’t just bounce there sales patter off you !
The Fujifilm 80mm Macro is a fantastic lens and the images on with this blog were all shot on the Fujifilm XT3 and the 80 mm Macro, but it really does depend on what lens this lens is going on and how its going to be used.
The purpose of this blog was not to help you choose a lens because you need to do that for yourselves the same way you choose a Toaster of a TV or a Bed, go in a shop and pick the lenses up and try them. You really will get a good idea in a shop and if you are still not sure ask the shop if they hire the lens for a few days or try Hire A Camera.
If you have a Friend that lives close that has that lens and they are a good friend then ask them if you can give their lens a try, you never know your luck ( but be prepared to buy your friend a new one if you lose it or break it )
I tend to buy lenses based on my needs and reviews on youtube or blogs by trusted people like Cameralabs but I do my research ! I ask my friends that have used the product and I only ask people I know will tell me the truth and I make sure I let them have all the information they need to give me an informed answer.
I would never ask 3000 people on facebook what they think ! I don’t need a baker with no camera experience telling me how good or bad an XT3 is although he might be able to help me with my my bread for my Toaster !
Colour ! Its a Van Thing !
As most of you know I am a 99% black and white Photographer it’s always been my preference. I have never really liked Colour as I have always found it distracting and a very hard medium to grasp and as for trying to tell a story out on the street !
I also struggled with Colour in the early days of digital as the slightest noise really did mess with the colours on most DSLRs.
These days nearly the only time I shoot colour is for Client work and I really do forget just how amazing the modern Fujifilm Cameras are with such great Colours.
I have been shooting Vans and Trucks a while now and just love working with Peoples Ford Van Centre Liverpool. The team there are amazing and they have some amazing return customers who just love their Vans. I also have a Camper Van based on the Ford Transit Custom and built by Wellhouse so I am in love with the backbone of the UK.
Ford have been producing some amazing colours over the last few years as well as some stunning Vans. It’s through my involvement with Peoples Ford that I have started to love shooting Vans in Colour ! I am not sure how long my love of Colour will last !!!
I guess it all depends on what Ford have up their sleeves !
One thing’s for sure I love the creative freedom I get working with these guys and I can’t wait to share with you all some of the images I have planned for the Future !
Until then here are a couple from this week’s shoot.
XT-3 Swap Over Complete
Well it’s done after a few months of just not having time to swap over my Office Vlog set up, I decided today to make the Change ! I have been using the Canon 200D with the Rode Video Micro after my Rode Videomic Pro broke( The jack plug broke inside its case and I threw it away before I realised it had a 10 year warranty ! silly me) So was using the Video Micro for quite a while, but I now have the amazing Video Mic Pro + and its ability to turn on when you turn the camera on is a real bonus over the Video Mic Pro, I can’t even tell you how many times I forgot to turn that mic on !
So this is my new set up its the amazing Fujifilm XT-3 with battery grip in a Smallrig Cage with added smallrig accessories to hold the Video Mic Pro + and the Atomos Ninja Blade.
I am using the Ninja Blade for forward facing monitor and also it doubles up for when I want to record the Camera Screen.
I am using the 16-55mm f/2.8 Fujifilm lens as its perfect for the. The Rig does look a bit like frankenstein’s monster but it does a great job. I now have a Pair of Fujifilm XT-3’s and the are growing on me more and more every day.
The face and eye detect is really good and one of the only reasons I stuck to the Canon system for Video was the amazing Autofocus but I really did miss the lovely Fujifilm colours. Now I have the best of both Worlds the XT-3 really does deliver on Autofocus all they have to do now is sort the screen out and make one that flips round. For now I will use my Ninja Blade lets home in the Future the XT-4 will have a decent screen.
I can strip this rig down and use this camera in the field when needed but for now it’s going to live in the office to save me time on my YouTube videos.
So looking forward to making some amazing content in 2019.
I won’t write a complete list of parts but if you want to know more please ask.
The Plot
Last year as part of a Facebook Group Home Project I decided to shoot Jane’s Second home her Allotment Plot. This was shot over a 12 month Period in 2018 and was shot on the Fujifilm GFX50s with 32-64mm lens and it was also shot in Colour with minimal editing using Classic Chrome. I could not give this Project as much time as I would have liked but I managed to get enough images for a book and at some point in 2019 I will sit down and make the book. As soon as I started the project I realised the wider Project could have been a study of all the plot tenants and not just Jane but I barely had time to shoot jane and her plot.
I won’t bore you with any more words here are the images from The Plot.
Projects Group
Hi Guys and welcome to 2019 Happy New Year to you all, this year I am going to spend more time blogging and more time on YouTube it’s going to be a great big learning curve and my video editing skills leave a lot to be desired but I will do my best and lear as I go.
My first new venture is Project Sunday and this is on YouTube and Flickr please feel free to subscribe to my youtube and request to join the Flickr Group some people have struggled with the Flickr group request but you request to join then send a message to admin to let you in its invite only but we can invite you if you have not messaged us.
It’s basically a series of weekly challenges and you post you images in Flickr and your links under my youtube videos it came about from my Learning to see workshops where people wanted a little more to motivate them throughout the year. Its for fun and sharing but who knows where it will end up.
Hopefully with a meet up at some point.
We are up to week 3 and if you join this week you might be in time for week 3 if not start week 4 on Saturday coming.
I was shocked at the 70 people that have signed up so far and the amount of people who take part every week, its a great little group on Flickr and I can’t wait to see what they all come up with over the next 12 months. Really impressed by the effort some of the people have put in.
My top 3 Cameras from 2018
I have been a bit slow on my blog this year because I have been focusing on YouTube but I thought I would answer my most asked question.
What are your top three Cameras ?
I always get asked what cameras I use and prefer or recommend and its always difficult to answer that question without knowing what someone will use a camera for, after all they are just tools to do a job and all tools have a different purpose.
But my top two for Street Photography are the Fujifilm X100F and the Fujifilm XPRo2 and that will depend on weather you want a fixed 23mm lens like on the X100F of want to be able to change lenses like on the XPro2. These are my hands down best best two Street Cameras.
My other camera choice is the amazing little Canon G7X Mark II as this is an all round amazing little camera for carrying everywhere I go and is not just a great back up stills camera but an amazing vlogging camera. It’s become my pocket camera next to my iphone7plus for 2018 and I hear a rumor there is a G7X Mark III I really hope there is and can’t wait to try one out when Canon release it.
I aim to shoot my 2019 project on the amazing Fujifilm X100F and cant wait to get stuck in to in in January and will be sure to blog about it and Vlogg about it as soon as I get started.
Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to you all.
Ireland with the X100F
If you read my previous blog post or watched my YouTube video you will know I have just been to Ireland for the first time in years.
I had a rough time in Ireland with my health so did not achieve all I wanted but had a relaxing time apart from the times I was kept awake all night with Gallstone Pain.
I was going to shoot lots of video but did not feel up to it so there is just a short film on YouTube this time.
My previous blog post was all about the iphone and how amazing it was to have with me so that I could shoot, process and upload the images in seconds.
This is just post it just to share a few of the images I shot in Ireland with the Fujifilm X100F my favorite camera in the Fujifilm range for so many reasons and even though I have just brought two X-T3’s for Landscape and Video they will never beat the weight and ease of use of the X100F.
I really did not want to be carrying a tripod and bags of gear with me everywhere I went in Ireland so kept it really simple. Canon G7X MKII in my pocket for video and back up, X100F over my shoulder and iphone in my pocket.
I have to confess to mostly using the iphone and then second came the X100F and last the G7X.
We were blessed with Storm Ali whilst we were in Northern Ireland so managed to get some interesting shots of the Giants Causeway and with storm force winds it was quite a challenge at times.
I used the X100F with a Lee Filters 0.9 Grad handheld in front of the lens just to darken the sky and keep the spray off my lens on most of the shots.
We had an amazing time and now I have to put together a workshop on Achill Island with Matt Walkley so will leave you to look at a few of the images I made with the X100F.
I am moving to YouTube next year so feel free to hop on over to YouTube and subscribe and hit the bell, that way you can see what I am up to in 2019.
